The Internet is a global system of interconnected computers and computer networks that use a standard Internet protocol suite (e.g., the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP)) to communicate with each other. The Internet of Things (IoT) is based on the idea that everyday objects, not just computers and computer networks, can be readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable, and controllable via an IoT communications network (e.g., an ad-hoc system or the Internet).
A number of market trends are driving development of IoT devices. For example, increasing energy costs are driving governments' strategic investments in smart grids and support for future consumption, such as for electric vehicles and public charging stations. Increasing health care costs and aging populations are driving development for remote/connected health care and fitness services. A technological revolution in the home is driving development for new “smart” services, including consolidation by service providers marketing ‘N’ play (e.g., data, voice, video, security, energy management, etc.) and expanding home networks. Buildings are getting smarter and more convenient as a means to reduce operational costs for enterprise facilities.
There are a number of key applications for the IoT. For example, in the area of smart grids and energy management, utility companies can optimize delivery of energy to homes and businesses while customers can better manage energy usage. In the area of home and building automation, smart homes and buildings can have centralized control over virtually any device or system in the home or office, from appliances to plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) security systems. In the field of asset tracking, enterprises, hospitals, factories, and other large organizations can accurately track the locations of high-value equipment, patients, vehicles, and so on. In the area of health and wellness, doctors can remotely monitor patients' health while people can track the progress of fitness routines.
As such, with increasing development in IoT technologies, IoT devices are expected to proliferate in the near future, which will lead to numerous IoT devices surrounding users at home, in vehicles, at work, and many other locations. One concern in the IoT technology space involves making customer service for IoT devices automated, cheaper, easier, and faster for both manufacturers and customers. For example, figuring out the problem with a device and then having to find someone to service the problem or spend time talking to service personnel to explain and understand the problem is a burdensome, costly, and time-consuming process. Furthermore, although certain connected devices (e.g., computers) may support remote troubleshooting, many devices may not have capabilities to support remote login and logging, and understanding and fixing the system issue is not a trivial job even on connected devices with remote login capabilities. Another concern with the IoT is vulnerability to malicious attacks, due at least in part to the fact that many IoT devices are simple devices often built without security in mind (e.g., toasters, thermostats, laundry machines, televisions, light fixtures, and other everyday objects). At the same time, device simplicity implies relatively limited behaviors in which certain IoT devices can engage, which can provide opportunities with respect to both the customer service problem and the security problem because both involve behavior anomalies at least to a degree (e.g., sudden spikes in network traffic may indicate that a denial of service (DoS) attack against a computer, power drawn over a large time period may indicate a faulty appliance, etc.).
Accordingly, in smart connected homes and other connected IoT environments, most appliances and other IoT devices will be connected to each other and will likely have the capability to at least monitor behavior that occurs locally. Nonetheless, despite having the ability to observe certain behavioral features, many IoT devices can be expected to lack sufficient resources to conduct the behavior analysis necessary to detect and remediate anomalous behavior. Furthermore, in connected environments that have many IoT devices, certain anomalies indicating potential security breaches or malfunctions may only become apparent after considering the state of the environment as a whole, which can be difficult in environments with many simple IoT devices that have limited capabilities.